Critical thinking styles

1) Autocratic I (AI): Completely autocratic. You solve the problem or make the decision yourself using the information available to you at the present time.

2) Autocratic II (AII): Request specific information. You obtain any necessary information from team members/subordinates, then decide on the solution to the problem yourself. You may or may not tell subordinates the purpose of your questions or give information about the problem or decision you are working on. The input provided by them is clearly in response to your request for special information. They do not play a role in the definition of the problem nor in generating or evaluating alternative solutions.

3) Consultative I (CI): One-on-one discussion. You share the problem with the relevant team members/subordinates individually, getting their ideas and suggestions without bringing them together as a group. Then you make the decision. This decision may or may not reflect your subordinates' influence.

4) Consultative II (CII): Group discussion. You share the problem with your team members in a group meeting. In this meeting you obtain their ideas and suggestions. Then, you make the decision which may or may not reflect your subordinates' influence.

5) Group (GII): Consensual group decision-making. You share the problem with your team members/subordinates as a group. Together you generate and evaluate alternatives and attempt to reach agreement (i.e., consensus) on a solution. Your role is much like that of facilitator, coordinating the discussion, keeping it focused on the problem and making sure that the critical issues are discussed. You can provide the group with information or ideas that you have, yet you do not try to "press" them to adopt your solution and are willing to accept and implement any solution which has the support of the entire group.

Solution Preview

1) Autocratic I (AI): Completely autocratic. You solve the problem or make the decision yourself using the information available to you at the present time.
Decision is made quickly and without argument from others during the decision making process. There is a loss of synergy, but the manager can claim responsibility for the right decision and create an aura of professional abilities. The weakness is that facts can be overlooked or the process is too quick and skewed toward the needs of the autocrat.

2) Autocratic II (AII): Request specific information. You obtain any necessary information from team members/subordinates, then decide on the solution to the problem yourself. You may or may not tell subordinates the purpose of your questions or give information about the problem or decision you are working on. The input provided by them is clearly in response to your request for special information. They do not play a role in the definition of the problem nor in generating or evaluating alternative solutions.

This allows for the main problem of the autocrat 1, by giving the autocrat needed information that ...

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